Other Redditors who have also been to the museum offer a bit of advice:

PlasmaWhore: “I went there a couple months ago. They sure don’t make it easy to get to. First you have to buy your ticket in advance at a convenience store using a machine that is all in Japanese. They don’t sell any tickets at the museum and the they limit the number of people that can go at any one time. So, on your ticket it has the time and day you are allowed in. Then you need to take a train out of the city to a suburb and walk about 20 minutes to the museum. It’s a nice walk and a cool little museum.”

adramalech: “That museum was awesome! I went to visit last year with my fiance while we visiting her parents. If you go, I believe they screen a few short films that haven’t been released to the public. One thing that did make me sad was the lack of areas you were allowed to take photos inside the building.”

the_aura_of_justice: “I went there two years ago. I bought the ticket online months in advance.You don’t have to walk to the museum – there’s a bus to and from there from the train station, you just have to work out which one. But the walk is about 20 minutes. Part of it is next to a park, although mostly its next to suburbia. But there are plenty of trees, and I was in Autumn so it was quite pretty.I guess for western visitors, the museum itself is not ‘huge’.. but it is both cute and wonderful. You will also have a ticket to watch a short movie – note these are unavailable anywhere else to see.There’s some amazing kinoscopes and other ‘old technology’ wonders applied to the amazing Studio Ghibli milieu – stroboscopic animated sculptures for instance that are quite mind boggling to see. There was a whole section that was closed while I was there so I don’t know if it’s reopened yet. Be sure to visit the robot on the top of the building – a great photo opportunity. The gift shop at the end has some unique items you won’t find anywhere else! And if you’re like me, you’ll appreciate an end to the visit with a ‘Valley of the Winds’ brewery beer at the outdoor cafe.

So, basically, if you are a Studio Ghibli fan, the pilgrimage is mandatory. For those wondering who Hayao Miyazaki is, he’s one of history’s greatest animators and calling him Japan’s Walt Disney would be an insult to his talents.